1. Field of the Invention
Refrigeration units of certain freight transportation units, for example, tractor/trailer combinations or other conveyance vessels, currently use independent power supplies for said refrigeration systems. For example, the refrigeration system of a tractor/trailer combination that provides refrigeration for a compartment in the trailer unit is provided power with an independent engine, often diesel-powered. Thus, both the tractor and the refrigeration unit of the trailer are independently powered. This current requirement for independent powering is inefficient and requires the burning of fossil fuels to power both the tractor and the trailer refrigeration system. Tapping the resources of the energy provided by the motion of the tractor/trailer unit results in substantial energy savings and reduction of air pollution in the environment.
The current invention taps the energy of the motion of the tractor/trailer combination or other conveyance vessel in that an electricity generator powered by the rotation of a wheel or wheels in contact with the road surface generates the electricity required for the refrigeration system. The invention described herein can be adapted to any refrigeration system, including without limitation refrigeration systems for railroad cars, similar to those employed on the trailer of tractor/trailer units. In addition, the invention described herein may be applied to any vehicle that operates on or requires battery power or electrical energy in excess of the electrical energy created by the battery or other electrical energy source.
2. Description of Related Art
Patent Application US 2004/0026927 A1, Stevenson et al., describes a fly-wheel-based regenerative energy management system having an integrated fly-wheel-motor-generator coupled to a system controller and further coupled to a drivetrain motor-generator for use in a hybrid vehicle. The invention described therein enables a vehicle to capture the kinetic energy resulting from a braking event, store this energy, and then re-use the stored energy for subsequent vehicle acceleration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,546 B1, Chopko et al., describes an electrically powered transport refrigeration unit comprised of a synchronous generator, a compressor drive motor, and at least one fan motor. The compressor drive motor and fan motor are directly coupled to the generator. A diesel engine supplying energy to the refrigeration unit directly drives the generator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,278, Hilleveld et al., describes a back-up switching system for refrigerator trucks that restarts a diesel engine associated with a refrigerator compressor on a refrigerator trailer to operate the compressor when there is a failure of either a standby motor or alternating current voltage power supply energizing the standby motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,001, Yang et al., describes a differential coupling and compound power system for a vehicle. The invention therein described is directed to a driving system that incorporates a primary gyroscopic power source and a magnetic coupling and driving device that can be used to individually or simultaneously control the output of the drive vehicle.